Twenty-five years after its first film release, The Lord of the Rings has returned to cinemas with an extended edition. While the story remains unchanged, its fanbase has shifted dramatically, now embraced by right-wing figures and Silicon Valley billionaires.
Venture capitalist Peter Thiel has named his companies Palantir, Mithril and Anduril after elements from the saga. US Vice President JD Vance credits the books with shaping his conservative worldview, while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has attended neo-fascist 'hobbit camps' and described the work as her 'mantra for life'.
Elon Musk, the world's richest man, has used the story to justify hardline immigration views. On Joe Rogan's podcast, he compared hobbits to small-town English citizens and asylum seekers to orcs, arguing that peace in the Shire depended on 'the hard men of Gondor'.
Despite these associations, director Peter Jackson's film trilogy remains a beloved adaptation, presenting a tale of underdogs on a quest to destroy an evil ring. However, the books contain elements that can support both progressive and conservative readings, including moral exceptionalism and implied racial hierarchies.
As the saga endures, its meaning continues to be contested, reflecting the diverse interpretations of its ever-evolving audience.
